Arnold h



A. H. HUMAN.

APPARATUS FOR PUMPING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, I918,

11 ,323,@6% Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

AIR-N 01D I-I. HUMAN, OF GERRARDS CROSS, BUCKINGI-IAMSHIRE, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF 'lO KESTNER EVAPORATOR & ENGINEERING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF

WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PUMPING LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed March 13, 1918. Serial No. 222,204.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnNoLu HENRY IIUMAN, a subject of theKing of England, rcsidin at Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Pumping Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pulsometer pumps for pumping liquids, that is to say to pumps of the type that is provided with a chamber into which the liquid to be dealt with is caused to rise and from which it is subsequently expelled by the (lirectaction of fluid pressure against the upper surface of the liquid. Pumps of this type are particularly convenient for pumping acid liquids, for they contain but few parts subjected to the action of the liquid, and these partspau be easily made non-corrodible; A primary object of this invention is to provide a simplified construction of pumping apparatus of the character described comprising relatively few valves'and very few pipes. I

Another object is to obviate the necessity of using relay-motors or like devices for actuating the valves.

A'furthe'r object is to provide a compact automatic arrangement of valves in the form of a unit having only three branch (101N160- tions, one for the air-main and two for the suction and pressure sides of 'a combined vacuum and pressure pump.

The invention consists in theconstruct-ion, arrangement and combination of parts described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

One embodiment of the invention and a modification thereof are diagrammatically represented by way of example in the accompanying drawings, where1n: L

Figure 1 represents a central sectlonal view of one form of pu'lsometer pump and its valves in combination with the sources of highand low-pressure air, and automatic means whereby the pulsometer is actuated from these supplies;

Fig. 2 represents a modification of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, by the employment of a combined vacuum and pressure pump directly connected to the alreonduits and a different form of automatic air-control valve in the air-conduits.

liquid so pumped is to be delivered. At the upper end of the pulsometer pump-chamber A is an air-main H. I I

Situated in the lower part of the pulsometer chamber A is a "alve-seating A A. similar valveseating A is formed'at the upper part of the pump-chamber A at its junction with the air-main H. Within the chamber A is a buoyant spherical valve A which fits each of these seatings.

The pump-chamber A communicates by means of the air-main H with a valve-chamber J. An air-conduit K connected to a vacuum-pump, not shown in the drawing, communicates with the valve-chamber J by a passage J and another air-conduit L connected to a high-pressure air-supply, not shown in the drawings, also communicates with the valve-chamber J by av passage L In the passage L issituated a high-pressure delivery valve in the form of a piston-valve M adapted to slide therein and to close ports L connecting the chambers J and L. The piston-valve M is carried upon av'alve-rod,

upon which is also situated a suction operated non-return I valve N having a cooperating seating N in the passage J When the valve N is on its seating the piston-valve M has uncovered the ports L giving communication between the chambers J and L and when the valve N is open in the position shown in the drawing, theseports L are closed. An extension-of the valve-rod beyond thenon-return valve isprovided for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

On the side of the piston-valve remote from the non-return valve a further BXtBH' sion of the piston-rod carries a balancepiston O, which is on one side subjected to the high'pressure air, and on the other side to atmospheric pressure. The valves so mounted upon the valve-rod are weightas a die )hra m L erforated b a hole L* .l a p y of relatively small diameter. A relief valve Q loaded-to open at ,a predetermined pres sure is arranged to control a by-pass passage connecting. the valve chamber J with the air-conduit K.

The action of the pnls'oineter pump is as follows In the normal or first position of the pump at starting the pump-chamber A is empty of liquid and the buoyant valve A rests upon the lower seating A, The ports L between the valve chamber J and the air-pressure chamber L are closed by the piston valveM and the non-return valve N is off its seating N thus-giving communication between the valve-chamber J and the conduit K connected to the vacuum-pump. Under the action of the vacuum-pump, liquid to be pumped is drawn from the tank F past'the suction-valveD into the pum i'p- I chamber 'A," when the buoyant valve rises from its seat and floats upon the entering liquid. \Vhile the liquid flows into the chamber A, the degree of vacuum in the 'air+ main H and conduit K is maintained approximately constant, As soon as the liquid fills the pump-chamber A,-'the buoyant valve A seats itself on the upper seating A there by shutting off the pump chamber A from the vacuum-pump. In consequence of this action and of the continued operation of the vacuum-pump, the vacuum in the air-main H, the chamber J and 'the conduit K is aug- .said non-return valve N Will have opened the ports L giving communication between the air-main H and chamber J and the highpressure air-conduit L whereby the highpressure air then flows into the chamber J and by way of the air-main ll into the pulson'ieter chamber A. In entering the pulsometer chamber A the high-pressure air forces the buoyant valve A off its seating A and the pressure of the air then acts upon the surface of the liquid to drive it out of the pulsolneter chamber, and by way of the delivery-valve E into the storage-tank G. This action continues until the pulsometer chamber A is cleared of liquid, by which time the buoyantvaive A will be found to be down on the lower seating A, iivhen it N S PO t Se i will prevent any further expulsion of the liquid or any escape of high-pressure air.

After the valve A is thus seatedthe'pressure of the air in the air-main H, the valvechamber J, and the conduit L rises; this rise eventually lifts the relief-valve Q (which is loaded to a suitable pressure, pre determined) and by acting on the topv side of the valve N cooperates with the weight 0 to open the said valve N This makes communication between the valve-chamber J and the conduit K, and at the same time closes by the valve M, the ports L and shuts off the high-pressure air supply to the pump, The valves M and N, being thus restored to their original or startin position, the cycle of, operations already described above is repeated in regular succession as long as the pump is in action. H I If desired, a pivoted 'levertappetR may be usedto give operativeconnection between the relief-valve Q and the extension previously referred to of the valve-rod carrying the valves M andN, the length of thisrod being so adjusted that it'does not come into contactwitjh the lever .B when the valve The modffied arrang'enient' in Fig. 2 shows a combined vacuumand aressure-pu'mp X direetlyeonnected to the air-conduits K and In p a e f ba an -val e 0 h w in 'Fig. 1 a venti s'v'alve in the form of a non-return valve is employed, opening directly into the atmosphere; from the conduit L. nonwietnrn valve- O is similar to the noniiijetil-rn valve N and is so connected with it that; the two valves seat simultaneously; I

The combined vacuum and pressure pum X as illustrated, comprises a cylinder and'piston X, the chamber on one side of the piston operating as the vacuum pump, and that on the other side operating as the pressure pump. On the vacuum side a suction valve is connected to draw from the conduit K and, Ddis'charge through a delivery' valve to the atmosphere. On the pressure side of the pump, a suction valve communicates with the atmosphere and adelivery valve with the conduit L. This pump maybe operated by an eleetro motor or other appropriate driving means. In the normal position of the automatic distribution valves the non-return valve N is'ofi' its seating, the piston-valve M has closed the ports L and the pump chamber A is in communication with the vacuum side of the pump X. The pressure side of the pump X is meanwhile discharging to the atmosphere 'through the open valve 0 When the buoyvacuum pum and at the same time opening the communication of the pump chamber with the pressure side of the pump by means of the piston-valve M. Simultaneously with the change of position of'the valves Nand M, the valve 0 has closed the outlet from the pressure side of the pump to thc atmosphere, and thereby the pressure rises within the chamber J and the air-main H by the working of the pressure pumpv Thisrise ot' pressure in the air-main H operates as before to expel the liquid from the pump chamber A until the buoyant valve A 'seats itself on the lower seating A of the pump chamber. \Vhen this occurs the pressure within the air-main H and the chamber L- continues to increase by the action of the pressure pump, untilair escapes at a predetermined pressure past the relief-valve Q, into the conduit K and by its action upon the upper face of the valve N, the said valve is forced off its seat, simultaneously closing by the valve M the communication between the chamber J and the pressure conduit L and the pressure pump, and putting the chamber J, and air-main H into communication with the vacuum side of the pump past the now open valve N in. readiness for the next suction stroke in the pump-chamber A. This completes the cycle of operations according to this arrangement of the apparatus, and the previously described operations are repeated continuously as long as the pulsometer pump and the combined vacuum and pressure pumps are working.

Where desired, a wire-drawing device, such as L L shown in the'conduit. L may also be employed inthe conduit K, such devices being beneficial by preventing or damping down fluctuations of; pressure which may occur by action of the" pressure and vacuum pumps in the respective airconduits.

It will be apparent. from the description above contained that various modifications can be made in the details and arrangements connected with the operation and construction of the automatic valve controlling the distribution of the air tothe pulsometer chamber, without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined in the claims, and that the methods so employed are dependent upon the changes of pressure produced in the air-main by the action of the buoyant valve in the pump-chamber.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. In pumping apparatus, the combina-. tion with a water-chamber having a top air inlet and a bottom water outlet, means which close the top inlet when the water in the chamber rises thereto and close said bottom outlet when the water in the chamber falls thereto, and an air-main communicating at one end with the top inlet, of a suction air-conduit having 'a suction-port opening into said air-main, a pressure airconduit having a delivery-port opening into said air-main, a suction-operated check-valve that controls the suction port' and is loaded so that it tends to open but closes when there is an increase of suction to a predetermined degree in the suction air-conduit, a by-pass passage connecting the air-main with the suction air-conduit, a bypass valve in the by-pass passage loaded to keep shut except when there is an increase of pressure to a predetermineddegree in the air-main, a delivery-valve that controls the delivery -port, and means operatively connecting the suction and delivery-valves so that when the suction-valve is open the delivery-valve shall be shut and viee-"versa, substantially as described. i

2. In pumping apparatus, the combination with a watei chamber having a top air inlet and a bottom water outlet, means which close the top inlet when the water in the chamber rises thereto and close said bottom outlet when the water in the chamber falls thereto, and an air-main communicating at one end with the top inlet, of a suction airconduit having a suction-port opening into said air-main, a pressure air-conduit having a delivery-port opening into said air-main, a suction-operated check valve that controls the suction-port and is loaded so that it tends to open but closes when there is an increase of suction to'a predetermined degree in the suctioniair-conduit, a by-pass passageconnecting the air-main with the suction air-conduit, a by-pass valve in the by-,

pass passage loaded to keep shut except when there is an increase of pressure'to a predetermined degree in the air-main, a deliveryvalve that controls the delh er port, means operatively connecting the suction and delivery-valves so that when the suction-valve is open the delivery-valve shall be shut and vice versa, a venting port leading to the atmosphere from the pressure air-conduit, and a ventingvalve controlling said venting port and so connected to the delivery-valve that each of these two valves counterbalances the tendency of the other to open under the pressure in the pressure air-conduit and so also that when either is opened it will shut the other," substantially as described.

3. In pumping apparatus, the combination with a water-chamber having a top air inlet and a bottom water outlet, means which close the top inlet when the. water in the chamber rises thereto and close said bottom outlet when the water in the chamber falls thereto, and an air-main communicating at one end with the top inlet, of a suction airconduit having a suction-port opening into said air-main, a. pressure air-conduit having a delivery-port opening -into said air-main,

a suction-operated check-valve that controls the suction-port and is loaded so that it tends to'open but closes when there is an increase of suction to a predetermined degree in the suction-air conduit, a by-pass passage connecting the air-main with the suction airconduit, a by pass valve in the by pass passage loaded to keep shut except when there is an increase of pressure to a predetermined degree in the air-main, a-deliveryvalve thatcontrols the delivery-port, means operatively connecting the suction and delivery-valves so that when the suction-valve is open the delivery-valve shall be shut and vice versa, and a combined vacuum and pressure pump having its vacuum side connected to said suction air-conduit and having its pressure side connected to said pressure airconduit, substantially as described.

4. In pumping a paratus, the combination with a water-cham or having a top air inlet and a bottom water outlet, means which close the top inlet when the water in the chamber rises thereto and close said bottom outlet when the water in the chamber falls thereto, and an air-main communicating at one end with the top inlet, of .a suction air-conduit having a suction-port opening into said airmain, a pressure air-conduit having a delivery port opening into the said air-main, a suction-operated non-return disk-valve that controls the suction port and is loaded so that it tends to open but closes when there is an increase of suction to a redetermined degree in the suction air-con uit, a by-pass passage connecting the air-main with the suction air-conduit, a by-pass valve in the by-pass passage loaded to keep shut except when there is an increase of pressure to a predetermined degree in the air-main, a delivery piston-valve that controls the delivery port, a rod connecting the saiddiskvalve and the said piston-valve so that when with a water-chamber having a top air inlet and abottom water outlet, means which close the top inlet when the water in the chamber rises thereto and close said bottom outlet when the water in the chamber falls thereto, and an air-main communicating at one end with the top inlet, of a suction airconduit having a suction-port opening into said air-main, a pressure air-conduit having a delivery-port opening into said air-main, a suction-operated check-valve that controls the suction-port and is loaded so that it tends to open but closes when there is an increase of suction to a predetermined degree in the suction air-conduit, a bypass passage connecting the air-main with the suction air-conduit, a =by-pass valve in the by-pass passage loaded to keep shut except when there is an. increase of pressure to a predetermined degree in the air-main, a tappet operated by the by-pass valve and arranged to operate the said check-valve, a delivery-valve that controls the deliveryport, and means operatively connecting the suction and delivery-valves so that when the suction-valve is open the delivery-valve shall be shut and vice versa, substantially as described;

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

A. H. HUMAN. 

